With intent to steal

“With intent to steal” is a supernatural horror short story by Algernon Blackwood, built around a psychological descent into fear, suggestion, and hallucination during a night spent in an isolated barn rumored to be haunted. The story follows a skeptical narrator who is persuaded by his companion, Shorthouse, to spend the night in a barn tied to disturbing local legends involving a dead alchemist, strange disappearances, and possible occult experimentation. As the night progresses, rational perception collapses under exhaustion, suggestion, and escalating terror. The boundary between supernatural presence and psychological breakdown dissolves completely, leading to a violent and ambiguous climax. The narrative is a classic example of Blackwood’s style: slow-building dread, heightened sensory awareness, and the suggestion that fear itself may become a force with independent agency.